Railroad-switch



M. BELOFF.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLlcATmN FILED umso, 1919.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M 'IKL TTORNE Y.

R. o. m20 V@ mE Q M N Jy V.. B.

W fw

UITED sTArsSM Mrs ori-fier..

RAILROAD-SWJTCI'I. Y

Application filed December 30, 1919.

To @ZZ whom t may concern Be it known that I, Minn BnLorr, a citizen ot ltussia, residing at New Glasgow, Province et Nova Scotia, and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- @witches7 of which the `following is a specification.

rlhis invention rela-tes to railroad track switches having more particular reference to an automatic means for operating the switch.

The invention has for an object to provide a simple arrangement ci parts whereby a train7 or single car or locomotive, approach ing the switchtrom a given direction `will automatically set the switch in theprcper position, the invention `being1 particularly useful at the juncture et sidings with the main line, permitting the train to leave the siding and enter on the main line tracks and restoring the switch to position with the main line tracks open after the train has passed the switch.

For further comprehension of the inven tion, and ot the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Figure l oit the drawings is a plan view of a railroad track switch having4 the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.`

Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective view illus trating particularly the switch locking means.

j Fig. Zlis a detail sectional elevation of the train engaging part of the switch operatingl means.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5"5 olt' Fig. l.

` Fig. 6 shows a detail view of a modilied form of the train engaging part oft the switch operating means.

ln the drawings l indicates a pair of track rails and 2 a second pairof track rails leading thereinto. For convenience in description I will refer to the track rails l as forming part of a main line track, and the Specification of Letters Patent.

\ proved switch operating means.

vided with` a lateral olilset such as Patented Mar. 22, 1921. Serial No. 843,478.

rails 2 as forming part of a siding although it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to any specific application of my im- O One ci' the main track rails l has the usual movable switch rail and the opposite one otl the siding rails 2 has the usual movable switch rail l. j

Extending transverselyunder the track at thc point where the free ends of the switch rails 3` and l are located is a metal plate 5 which may be secured to the fixed railsin any suitable manner. This plate has a pair ot apertures `lormed therein adjacent opposite rails adapted to accommodate the vertically slidable locking bolts 7 which are disposed under the plate and are each pro- 8 which limits the upward movement thereof. These bolts are each formed with a vertical slot 9 into which projects a pin l0, lined inthe side walls of respective ones oi? a pair of recesses ll and l2 under track which accommodates the device.

Each ot these bolts 7 `has a pin 13 projecting rigidly from its lower end andengaging in a horizontal slot ll in an operating device controlled by the train, it being understood that the word train is used to designate any single unit of rolling stock, whether a car, locomotive or complete train. The bolt operating means comprises a compound lever member which extends longitudinally in the recess 1l adjacent one ot the rails l. This lever member comprises an arm l5 see Fig. 3 tulcrumed between its .ends on a bracket 1G fixed in the bottom of the recess and 'formed with the slot l/l into which the pin on one oit the bolts 7 projects, and having a slot and pin connection 17 at one end see Figs. l and, 2 with a 1'ockarm 18 pivoted between its ends to a bracket 19 in the bottom of the recess il,` this latterarm having its opposite end connected by a slot and pin connection 20 with a bell crank lever 21 pivoted to another bracket 19 in the recess and guided by a forked bracket 22 and whose vertical arm 23 is adapted to be engaged and depressed by a suitable part carried by the train. This arm 18 -has a rigid transverse offset 25 terminating in a zov longitudinal nger 26 provided with a slot 27 in which the pin 13 on the other bolt 7 engages. A spring strap 28 fixed at one end to the track bed as at 29 limits the downward movement of the arm 18 and automatically raises the bolt to locking position. The arm 18 has also a rigid diagonal oiiset 30 which extends between the siding tracks 2 and is rigidly connected as at 31 with the arm 18 this offset being in the form of a second bell crank pivoted to a post 32 in an oiset. from the recess and guided by a bracket 33 and adapted to have its vertical arm 34 engaged and depressed by the train. rIhe other end of the first arm 15 has a slot and pin connection 35 with a second rockarm 36 pivoted between its ends to a bracket 37 in the recess and having a slot and pin connection 38'at its other end with a third bell crank lever 39 pivoted to a post 40 in the recess and whose vertical arm 41 is adapted to be depressed by the train.

The means Jfor shifting the switch rails 3.and 4 when the bolts have been lowered comprises a bar rigidly connecting the switch rails, vnear themovable ends thereof and having a slot and pin connection 45 with the end of a central offset 46 from a shifter bar-'47 pivoted between its ends as at 48, this bar being operated by the following means'. A Located between the track rails just toA theright of the bell crank 21 is a hori- Zontal lever 50 which extends transversely of the rails, being fulerumed between its ends as at 51. A second lever 52 is disposed between the rails 2 adjacent the bell crank 32and iulcrumed between its ends as at 53. Athird lever 544 extends between the rails 1 adjacent the bell crank 39 and is fulcrumed between its ends as at 55, a fourth lever' 56 being disposed just to the lett of the last mentioned lever and :tulcrumed between its ends as at 57.

fai-ope or wire 60 connects the end ot lever 50 nearest the siding with the corresponding en'd ofV the shifter bar 47. A. second rope 61 connects this end of the shifter bar with the corresponding end oi the lever 56 which is in turn connected by a link 62 with the correspondingend Vof lever 54. The opposite end of the lever 56 is connected by a rope or wire. 63 with the opposite end of the shifter bar 47 which is in turn connefcted by a rope of wire 64 with the end oit lever 52 nearest the main rails, the latter rope being guided around a pulley 65.

I Upon the ends of each of the levers 50, 52` and 54 opposite to that to which the ropes 60, 64 and link 62 connect is formed a hollow boss 66, in which is slidably mounted a stud 67 having an enlarged head 68 whose upper surface is rounded oit as shown in Fig. 4.v When the levers are 'in their normal position this stud rests on the top of a fixed block 69`having an inclined. .tace 70,V

the stud being adapted to ride down this tace when engaged by a train.

The manner ot operation is as follows:- As here shown the device is arranged to maintain the main track rails in operative condition, F ig. 1 of the drawings showing the device in position assumed when a. train is passing over the switch from the siding. is the train approaches the switch it first depresses the bell crank 30 which acts through arm 18 to depress the bolts away trom the switch rails. The lever 52 is then immediately actuated and swung on its fulcrum in a direction to pull on ropes 64 and shift the bar 47 until the switch rail 4 en gages the track rail 1 and the rail 3 is moved to open position, the spring strap 28 immediately throwing` the bolts up to locking position. After the train has passed the switch, arm 41 engages 54 which, by thrusting on link 62 pulls on rope 63 and moves the shifter bar to its original position. It is to be noted that as the levers 52 and 54 are shitted the studs 67 ride down the inclined faces 70 of the blocks 69 and thus disengage themselves trom the train. It will also be noted that as lever 52 is actuated by the train movement is transmitted to lever 54 to cause it to assume a position with the stud 67 raised and that when the latter is engaged and depressed lever 52 is moved to its original position. immediately before the last mentioned operation the bell crank 39 is engaged by the train andthe bolts T lowered from locking position to permit the switch rails to move, the strap 28 immediately returning the bolts to locking position. The operation ot the bolts by the bell cranks 32 and 39 is clearly shown by the arrows in Fig. 2.

ln the modified form ot train engaging` part ot the switch operating means, the link 62 is connected to a lever 54 pivoted at 55 the tree end is adapted to be engaged by a Contact element inthc train and slides under a segment.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of' the United States is as 'ollows ln a railway track switch, a pair ol' vertically movable bolts adapted to lock the switch rails in a selected position, means adapted for automatic operation by a train `tor first depressingand then raising said bolts, said means including a plurality of rocker arms and a pair of bell crank levers, the latter having upwardly projecting arms adapted to be engaged by a passing train, and means adapted for automatic actuation by a train for shifting the switch rails from one position and then back to said position when the train passes over the switch, said means comprising a shifter bar operatively engaging the switch rails, a plurality of levers extending transversely between the track mils and fulcrumecl between their ends to swing horizontally, connections between one enil of the lever and the shifter bei', and devices carried by said levers adapted to be engaged by the trein to move the letter seid devices including vertically movable studs carried by the opposite faces, and blocks having inclined feces upon which said studs travel as the lever swings to move the studs 10 into and out of the path of the train.

ln testimony whereof I have allxed my Signature.

MIKE BELOFF. 

